DESPERATE FIGHTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23840, 16 December 1940, Page 7

DESPERATE FIGHTING

vain efforts to stem advance OUTSKIRTS OF SOLLUM REACHED RELENTLESS air attacks on enemy Bi' Teleeraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received December .15, 11.15 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 15 The Italian forces have been thrown back to the Libyan ' border, and heavy fighting is going on around the Italian frontier fortifications. British artillery is bombarding the Italians as they pour along the narrow coastal road. Desperate fighting is reported between British advanced units and Blackshirts, who are striving to consolidate their positions and vainly attempting to counter-attack. An unofficial estimate is that prisoners taken by the British now total 30,000. Reports reaching Cairo indicate that the British forces are already at the outskirts of Solium, which is General Sir Archibald Waveil's immediate objective. "More than 26,000 prisoners are now estimated to be in British hands, and guns, tanks and equipment of all kinds, stated an official Cairo communique issued yesterday. It added: The British advanced forces continue to press back the enemy, who are endeavouring to stem the tide of their rout on and about the Libyan frontier. The clearance of the vast battlefield continues, and the number of prisoners is steadily mounting. No Respite in Air Operations Royal Air Force headquarters, in a communique yesterday, stated: "Throughout the past 24 hours fighter and bomber aircraft continued without respite to support the army in the successful operations in the Western Desert. Aerodromes, landinggrounds, fuel dumps and stores of all kinds, as well as motor transport and troops, were bombed and machine-gunned. Derna was very heavily raided on Friday night. Several tons of high explosive fell on the barracks, wireless station and other military buildings, and fierce fires were caused which spread rapidly. Bardia was again attacked and bombers scored direct hits on stores at Gubi, Gambut, Derna and Fomi. Gazala was also raided, and one CR 42 and three S 79's were destroyed on the ground, and other enemy aircraft were made unserviceable. "On the Tobruk-Bardia road our eight-gunned fighters took heavy toll of the retreating enemy. While continuing to give protection to our advancing troops, aircraft shot down five CR 42 s, making a total for the day of 15. Four of our Gloster Gladiator fighters were lost, but three of the pilots escaped safely by parachute. One of our two bombers announced in Friday's communique as having failed to return to their base is now reported safe. British Casualties Believed Slight It is reliably stated in Cairo that British casualties have been very slight. Thousands of tired, sand-whipped Italians threw down their rifles and packs after the fall of Sidi Barrani, and began to run westward, pursued by the British tanks and mechanised forces, which were embarrassed by the vast number of prisoners. British airmen reported that large fires were raging at Solium. A long column of Italian motor units was hurrying across Libya toTobruk, and the advance headquarters of the Italian 10th Army was seen to be moving westward from Bardia toward Tobruk. A later Cairo communique says the momentum of the British advance cannot be expected to continue at the hectic pace set so far. However, there has been no sign of relaxation of the pressure on the retreating Italians.